Low Carb Diet Vs. Ketogenic Diet

I’ve been asked by many of my readers to clarify what it means to follow a low carb or ketogenic diet. Because these two terms can mean two very different things, I thought it would be easiest to do a comparison. If after reading this you have more questions, please feel free to reach out. I’m always happy to answer questions or update my post here if something isn’t clear.

What is a low carb diet?

Generally speaking, the term “low carb” can be applied to any type of diet where you reduce your overall carb intake. This is a very loose term and can mean different things to different people.

There is a general consensus out there that eating low carb “usually” means eating between 20 and 100 net carbs per day. That is a very large range, and not everybody will follow those guidelines.

The term low carb referrs to simply reducing your overall carb consumption. The number of carbs you eat is totally up to you or whatever diet book you may be reading.

A low carb diet does not equal a ketogenic diet.

What are net carbs?

Net carbs are very easy to figure. All you have to do is look at the nutrition data for whatever food you are eating and subtract the fiber count from the total carb count. Many people choose this method to ensure they get more fiber in an eating plan that could easily cut out fiber completely.

There is also some science behind it, but I will leave that to you to google if you like. I don’t like to get that technical around here.

What is a ketogenic diet?

A Ketogenic diet does equal a low carb diet.

A Keto diet is one of many different approaches to eating low carb. It has very specific parameters with the idea being that you put your body into a state of ketosis where fat becomes your body’s main fuel source. It is considered a high fat, moderate protein, low carb eating plan.

While macros will be slightly different for each person, a Ketogenic diet will require that your macros are generally around 80% fat, 15% protein and 5% carbs. This can seem extreme to some people, but for those who follow a Ketogenic diet, the health benefits can be significant.

Plus, after a while, it becomes extremely easy to get that amount of fat. Like any diet, there is a term of adjustment. But it’s pretty easy to get the hang of.

That being said, a ketogenic diet is not for everyone. If you have certain health concerns, such as kidney problems, a Ketogenic diet will not be a good option for you. So talk to your doctor or a qualified dietitian before getting started.

A note on the medical profession

Many medical professionals out there hear the word “Ketosis” and automatically equate it with ketoacidosis (which is basically ketosis that has gone too far). This is a serious condition most often associated with diabetes.

Also note that most doctors do not study nutrition, much less nutrition that is viewed as “fringe” in any way. So if you need to work with a medical professional, just know that you may have to search for somebody who knows about this sort of eating plan. These folks are not always easy to find, and there are new studies coming out all the time on this type of eating plan. So look for somebody who keeps up with the latest.

Keto Concerns

If you think you might be interested in following a Ketogenic diet, I implore you to do your research. There are many concerns and issues that can arise based on your own, individual constitution. For those people who can benefit from this sort of eating plan, the benefits are endless. But there are things you need to watch for when following this sort of eating plan. So do your homework. This is not for everyone.

Personal Experience

I tend to follow a Keto eating plan and I have seen many benefits from doing so. Often people ask me how I can possibly be healthy eating that much fat. But when fat becomes your main fuel source, your whole body functions differently. Traditional nutrition “rules” no longer apply in that respect. I have seen all my lab work come back into normal ranges within a matter of months. So if you feel you may benefit from a Keto plan, it could definitely be worth, at the very least, a try.

In Conclusion

Low carb eating is a broad term that can be applied to many different approaches and eating plans. It can be based on just about any number of carbs that are less than what you would typically eat. Every low carb diet out there from South Beach to Atkins will give you a different number of carbs to shoot for. So if you want to eat low carb, but are not interested in a Keto diet, you will need to do your research on the many, many low carb diets available on the market today.

i have been doing Keto for 2 months now and have lost 10lbs, but have not noticed any inches. I am becoming discouraged because I am not losing as quick as most that have to also lose 100+ lbs.
I don’t go over 20 carbs, I target my protein and fats. I’m not sure what more I can do. I have bacon and eggs for breakfast with an avocado then leftovers for lunch then something fresh for supper. drink plenty of water during the day and drink pickle juice along with electrolytes. Do I need to change things up? thanks for your time.

First, you need to look at this a little differently. Most people, when trying to lose weight, aim for about 4-6 lbs. a month. Slow and steady is the best weight loss, no matter how you do it. Ten pounds in 2 months is pretty good. Yes, some people lose it faster. But we are all different. I’m the same as you. Even when I do Keto perfectly, the weight comes off painfully slow. But it does come off. The weight didn’t end up on our bodies overnight, and it won’t disappear overnight either. I know Keto is often promoted as this incredibly fast way to lose weight, and for some people, that happens. But for the rest of us, it’s no different than any other type of diet. You have to have patience. Your body needs time to adjust. You will have plateaus too. It’s totally normal. The ten pound mark is sort of when you can switch from knowing that you are losing water weight, to losing actual fat. So you’re in the right zone. The trick with Keto and slow fat loss is to not give up. It takes patience.

The second thing is that some people actually do get too much fat on a keto plan. You can play with that ratio and your protein ratio just a tiny bit. I can’t recommend how much though. You’d have to experiment. Just don’t make any huge adjustments there or you could throw yourself out of ketosis with too much protein. Small adjustments are best. I wish I could give you more specifics, but I’m not a dietitian and there is no hard and fast science here. You have to experiment a little to see what works for your body. Hope that helps.

I want to start the Keto diet but I’m so confused regarding the carbs I’m supposed to have, are veggie carbs the same as other carbs, am I supposed to be logging carbs in all day? Also, I’m not big on dairy so I don’t want to use them. How will I know if I’m doing this right?

Ada – You want to count all your carbs. In the beginning, before you get to really know what you can and can’t have, yes. You’ll be counting everything. But you’ll get the hang of it pretty quickly. Carbs are carbs no matter where they come from. So just keep track of your total carbs for the day and try to ensure that the majority of them come from low carb veggies. In my 101 section, you’ll find lists of the lowest carb fruits and veggies. Hope that helps!

I have been on the Keto diet since June and have lost 45 pounds! It took a while to adjust, but the benefits far outweighed the “flu”. My question is how to break through a stall. I have not lost any weight for about two months. I strictly watch my macros and stay within targets every day. But alas no weight loss. I have about 20 pounds to go to reach my goal, but can’t seem to get there. Any suggestions?

Angel – Our bodies get used to doing the same thing all the time. Sometimes you have to keep it guessing. There are a lot of approaches to this. Some people to “carb up” days (where they eat a specific amount more in carbs), some people throw in a different exercise, some people do an egg fast or even do a zero carb day or two. Depends on what you feel is right for you. Keto stalls are tough. But don’t give up.

I have been on the Keto diet for 2 weeks now and have lost 12 lbs – I love it!!! I have found it easier and much more enjoyable than when I did low carb (Atkins). I have found many recipes on Pinterest that have helped me out, also. I decided to research this diet after my last physical and my doctor said I was in danger of becoming pre-diabetic. I asked her what she thought and she thought it sounded good as I have no kidney problems or other issues that could make this diet not work. I use the Carb Manager app and that helps me keep track of my macros really well!!!

How would a high fat, low carb diet affect a person with no gallbladder? I’ve tried the Atkins diet before, and my Ulcerative Colitis went crazy.
Could it just be a matter of going as low carb as possible while eating more protein and less fat than on a keto diet? BTW, I’m also diabetic and have MS. Life seems like a giant balancing act to me!!

Bobbi – Wow! That’s quite a collection of situations you’ve got there! To be honest, that would be a good question for your doctor or a qualified dietitian. I really have no knowledge about different health conditions. I say, always listen to your body first. After that, it can be a bit of an experiment.

My primary recommended a keto diet to control blood sugar levels. After 3 months i went from 111 down to 94! Not bad! He feels that by staying on the keto, it’s going to drop even more. It’s hugely satisfying to see the results and have the support of my primary.

Thank you for writing this post, it’s very helpful! I started low carbing a while back (probably more than a year ago) and ended up backsliding, as can often happen when trying to drastically change your eating habits. On Friday I had my annual physical and my doctor ordered blood work for glucose and insulin because previous results indicate I’m insulin resistant. The results from Friday indicate I still am, so now I’m a little worried and going back to low carb. One phone app (and website) I’ve found to be really helpful is Fat Secret. You can choose exactly which macro nutrients you want to see and it also shows percent of fat, carbs, and protein in a pie chart that I find helps me wrap my head around what I’ve consumed. It also helps that the app and website don’t seem to promote one eating plan over another.

Tauri – Ya, that blood sugar stuff is a nasty business. I let mine get a little too high before I acted on it. I wish I had gone low carb sooner but my first experience with it was a shock to the system to say the least. I did it with my doctor and it was incredibly strict, which doesn’t work for me. So now I’m finding my own way with it and it seems to be helping! Thanks for the tip on that site, I’ll check it out! 🙂

I have been dealing with a chronic digestive condition for 15 years, interacting with specialists in three different states. In that time, not one single medical professional had ever asked me about my eating habits!!! It’s as though what you put in your mouth is completely unrelated to what happens to your health. If it doesn’t entail a prescription pad or a scalpel, it’s not of interest. Farmers don’t pay kickbacks the way Big Pharma does. When it comes to nutrition, we are on our own.

Mandy – I couldn’t agree more! Doctors get one single nutrition class in all their years of medical training and it’s a basic class anybody can take at a junior college. Pathetic. But if we get smart about these things, big companies don’t make their profits. So there is high incentive to NOT make that connection. Frustrating!

I have been on a Keto diet now for 6 weeks and although I have lost about 6 lbs, I find I am constantly mildly nauseated. I talked to my doctor about it and he doesn’t know what to recommend. I have come to the conclusion that it is the amount of fat I eat, which is in keeping with the keto directions my doctor gave me. Granted being nauseated does keep my appetite in check, but it is not a fun feeling, especially since as a meal time rolls around, I know I need to eat, but nothing appeals to me. Any suggestions?

Jan – It takes a while for your body to become “fat adapted”. Every person is different, but my guess is that your body is probably still adjusting. I’m not a medical professional so please don’t take this as medical advice in any way. But I also had this issue and it turned out that I was going a little heavy on the coconut fat, which can be a stomach irritant in large doses. It’s okay to back off a bit to give your body that adjustment time. Increasing fats slowly over time can make things a lot easier. I know it’s tempting to dive in head first, but your body is telling you something, so you should definitely pay attention. Google “Fat adapted” for more info. I don’t know a lot about this. All I can share is my personal experience. For me, it was too much fat too quick as well as the type of fat I was using. It may be something totally different for you, so you’ll need to experiment to see what’s causing it. Keep in mind that a Keto eating plan is a tremendous change to the body from a mainstream eating plan. 6 weeks is not a lot of time. But if it persists, it’s probably best to keep in contact with your doctor on a regular basis. Kudos to your doctor for being open to this way of eating!

Should we count calories? I lost a pound a day for one week. I love butter, fats, bacon, bullet proof coffee! I had no cravings not even sweets. The I gained 8 pounds litterbugs overnight. It won’t budge! Help

Joe Ann – Some people do. But if you don’t think you are overeating, I wouldn’t worry about it. Could be that time of the month, or maybe you haven’t had enough water? Did you maybe get something you are allergic to? There are many reasons that could happen. I wouldn’t panic, I would just keep at it.

However, if you continue to gain weight, you will need to investigate further.

Jill – Low carb has a much looser definition. It’s pretty open to whatever you want to do. You may want to eat a bit more for satiety if nothing else. But no, you don’t HAVE to go as high in fat. Since there is no real outline for low carb eating, you can pretty much adjust it to anything you want. Experiment and see what your body reacts best to. I’ve brought down my fat intake a bit more as well because I found that I was stalling with 80% fat, 15% protein. I do more like 70% fat and 25% protein now. Got my weight loss moving again. So it’s just about what works best for you and your body.

I am trying to eat high fat, moderate protein and low carb, but find myself confused! Is there a simply way to follow this without a recipe? Generally, I tend to eat lots of veggies, lean meat and add health fat. I will not always follow or know the percentages in a meal. Please tell me how to put this in a plan a child could understand. Haha

Michele – The best way to do this is to track your food with an app like MyFitnessPal.com or any other online tracker. Most are free and and are invaluable. It can be a pain to track every mouthful at first, but it’s really only until you get the hang of it. Then you can slow down and track only once in a while to be sure you’re still on track.

Last month, I was diagnosed pre-diabetic. I was only .3 from being classified as diabetic. My doctor told me to eat low carb and low sugar. Hopefully by losing 20 – 30 lbs, I won’t have to take medication. I have been researching the internet for information on a Low Carb diet and your website has been the most helpful to me. I have been doing the best I can with the low carb diet with what little I know. I haven’t lost much weight (6 lbs), but I do feel much better. I am proud that I have not had a Dr Pepper in 4 1/2 weeks! I have an appointment to see a nutritionist on Wednesday so I am hoping to get more info. Thank you for sharing your knowledge!

I agree make sure you find a dietician that’s open to keto and low carb. I’m diabetic mine wanted me to eat bread and pasta even though I was not getting better on carbs. Finding a dietician that gets it is so important. Good luck.

I’m 68 yrs. old & was diagnosed as diabetic 6 mos. ago with an A1C of 6.8. My Dr. prescribed Metformin for me, but after seeing the side effects it could cause, I decided to not take it & try Low carbing instead. In 6 weeks, I lost 16 lbs. and lowered my A1C to 6.4. That was enough to convince my Dr. that I could forego the medicine and stick with my diet. 4 mos. later, I’d lost another 14 lbs. and my A1C was down to 5.9! My cholesterol ratio is in the middle of the recommended range, and my triglycerides (I have Fibromyalgia which is said to raise triglycerides) have dropped 100 pts. I’ve lost another 5 lbs. in the last 2 weeks. My Dr. And I are both thrilled, so I highly recommend a Low Carb diet for controlling your glucose level and cholesterol.

My husband and I are following keto. We started January 1st. We recommend being under doctors care if you have any medical issues. We both have heart disease, needed to lose weight and my husband was diabetic type 2. I suffered from kidney issues. Our journey has brought us to lose (husband) 41 pounds (me) 74 pounds. My husband is off all medications (he was taking 7) down to one, with blood work being normal. His heart doctor of course can’t wrap his mind around this diet and even though the blood work is normal he wants to still have him on 3 medicines for preventative purposes. He is no longer on any diabetes medicine and has more energy than ever before. With me the kidneys were a big issue so getting levels every three weeks was not fun, but with keto you must drink at least eight glasses of water. I drink 12 glasses of water a day. We will definitely stay on keto and watch macros. We use 5% carbs, 70% fat and 20% protein.

I have been low carbing for a while. Almost 2 years. I have lost 85 lbs. still have at least 50 more to reach my goal. I’ve been at a standstill for 2 months! I may lose 3 lbs then back up. I need lots of Leto recipes. Please help.

Carolyn – Low carb eating is often promoted as the “magic solution” to effortless weight loss. But the truth is, no matter how you eat, your body is going to have issues with the process at some point. It’s not unusual to plateau for longer periods with low carb eating. I’ve experienced it myself and I’ve heard the same from other people. There are so many things to look at when you stall (I feel another blog post coming on!!). Do you eat generally low carb or do you eat keto? Each approach has it’s own solutions.

Hey there. I have been on a low carb diet for 5 years now. I lost weight in the beginnng but now I’m simply just maintaining my weight. I have gotten so used to eating this way I will probably always will. I just feel so healthy. My problem is my body has obviously gotten used to the way I eat and I can’t seem to lose any more weight. What do you suggest? I have done an “egg fast” for a week and maybe I lost a pound.

Krystal – This is something I have struggled with as well. In theory, eating low carb is supposed to be the magic “pill” that helps you effortlessly lose weight. But in truth, our bodies can stall with low carb eating just as easily as they can with other forms of dieting. Firstly, I would ask yourself if you truly need to lose more. We always want to lose another 5 pounds, but often, our bodies will be happy at a particular weight. Second, are you eating generally low carb or keto? Because there are different solutions for each approach.

You can read my response to Melanie (from Feb 7). I, too, have experienced stalls in my weight loss. Like I said, I lost 16 lbs. the first 6 weeks, then only 14 lbs. in 2 mos., then nothing for over 2 mos. I just stuck with the regimen, then over 2 days I lost 5 lbs. The weight seems to come off in fits & starts rather than an even, steady pace. I’d like to lose another 35 lbs, so I would love to read your thoughts on how to best achieve my goal if you decide to write a blog as you indicated above!

Ceejay101 – YES!!! Fits and starts is a great way to describe it. At first, I dropped a ton of weight really quickly. Then, nothing for several months followed by another drop. So the critical thing is to remember that eating fewer carbs helps control blood sugar, regardless whether or not your weight is stalling. You have to stick with it!

Im on my 5th day of full keto zero carbs. I want to stay with that for a year if I can. I had gastric surgery 10 year ago with no issues but i still have a very small stomach. Im finding that i cant drink my water with out pain because im always full.seems my meat is having a hard tim digesting. Any ideas on what i can do to help the food digest and to get my water in..thanks love your artical

I enjoyed reading your article! I too have been following a very strict keto diet. I lost 25 lbs in two months!!! I could not believe it. The toughest part was telling myself that it was okay to consume more fats and that even the sugar in most fruits cause them to have lots of carbs. I use to be a smoothie fanatic, now occasionally I will treat myself to sliced up strawberries and heavy whipping cream whipped up.

Hi. I’ve lately started a low carb diet but become so used to having smoothies every day that my weight is on a stand still. Can you help suggest that I drop out of smoothies completely. I live in India. I rush to work in the morning after sending kids to school and complete house hold chores, that I find smoothie my best breakfast.

First off, thank you for clarifying on keto/LC dieting differences which, I find very factual. My family’s (mother-side) diabetics history have plagued most of my siblings up tho this day. As discipline as I am (20-year Air Force retiree), I’ve fought a broader-line high A1C for years. My primary physician always stress to eat more fruits and vegs, less fried protein to maintain a respectable weight for my age. I believe most fruits are over-rated because of their high glycemic index for a person watching carbs/sugar intake. So, I did my ketogenic home-work and decided to participate, what would or could I lose? In my next 6-month blood test, BAM!!!…my A1C drop to normal 5.7. Not only has my 5-day/week workouts been more productive, I’ve gain more strength and cardio capacity. Now, I totally believe that anyone who exercise regularly, burning fat as energy (last longer) has far more benefits than burning the “short-fueled” sugar as energy during a workout routine/session. In closing, the two keto-nutrition benefits I have witness is lowering A1C and more sustain energy during exercise. One issue I need work on is; it’s hard to be diet sociable when family comes to town or when I’m on non-workout days, I have a tendency to crash/re-feed the low carb levels………advice?

Anthony – Eating low carb around friends and family can be difficult. The only thing you can do is plan ahead. Find out what foods will be available (if you aren’t cooking) and if you need to, bring something extra for yourself. I do this a lot! You don’t have to make a big deal out of bringing your own food either. Use what you can from your family dinner that is low carb, and bring the rest yourself. As for friends, you would want to explain to them why you are eating differently and ask them to be considerate of that. Picking places to go out where you can eat a low carb meal is a big help. Planning ahead is the only way!

Hi Tiffany! I’m a big fan of the keto diet and have been following it for a while. Out of interest do you practice any carb refeed days? I have found that if I add a small amount of carbs to my evening meal twice a week (not a lot – just for example, 1 piece of fruit or half a sweet potato), I fare a lot better. I think this is because I came from a place where I had a lot of healing to do (adrenal stuff). Interested to know your experience?

Joan – Thanks for stopping by! I’ve been playing around with my macros for a while now. I’ve also been reading a bit here and there about carb-up days. It seems to be a hormonal thing that is particularly good for women. I haven’t actually tried it yet because I’m worried it will knock me out of ketosis. But I know eventually I will. As I understand it, it’s very helpful if keto makes you feel tired. From what I’ve read, it’s a good thing to practice, but in the end, the only thing that really matters is how you feel and how your body responds. We are all so different! If it works for you, then I say stick with it. 🙂

Maryann – Bad as in still too many carb or not enough? While I can’t really make a dietetic recommendation, you can try adjusting 5 grams one way or the other until you get the right number. I started with 20 or less, and have moved up just slightly because my body seems to do better that way. In order to experiment, you really need to track your food with a counter like MyFitnessPal.com. There are many out there, but it’s invaluable information when you are trying to figure these things out.

As a clean eater, I’ve become frustrated with the number of low carb recipes that call for a "box of something" as an ingredient. There are so many FAKE low carb foods out there. I mean, they are low in carbs, but the ingredients often leave me scratching my head.

I may not want carbs, but that doesn’t mean I want to replace them with chemicals and garbage! So I started applying low carb eating to my usual clean eating ways, and so far, it's working great!